Needle track locking means for knitting machines

ABSTRACT

A lock for a knitting machine which permits guiding tracks thereof to be quickly exchanged in groups or as a unit. The tracks are removably secured to ring segments by the lock. The lock includes a first stud disposed normal to the track and received in a first bore in the ring segment extending inwardly from a first face of the ring segment. A second, headed stud, extends into a second bore, extending inwardly from the second, opposite face of the ring segment. The first and second bores partially overlap and communicate at their inner ends. Interfitting cam and notch configurations are provided on the confronting, inner ends of the studs, whereby they are secured together against separation by turning one stud relative to the other.

United States Patent Martinetz [45] June 20, 1972 [54] NEEDLE TRACK LOCKING MEANS 734,349 7/1903 FOR KNITTING MACHINES 586,315 7/1897 1,613,050 1/1927 [72] Inventor: Johann Martinetz, Hechmgen/Wuerttem- 2 22 2 93 berg, Germany 3,490,252 1/1970 Paepice et al ..66/57 73 'lfi rtt I Asslgnee gg fg lfi Tm ngen/wue em Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney-Arthur O. Klein [22] Filed: July 20, 1970 21 Appl. No.2 56,417 [57] ABSTRACT A lock for a knitting machine which permits guiding tracks thereof to be quickly exchanged in groups or as a unit. The [30] Fords" Application Pflm'lty Data tracks are removably secured to ring segments by the lock. July 31, 1969 Germany ..P 19 38 891.1 The lock includes a first Stud disposed normal t9 the track and received in a first bore in the ring segment extending inwardly 52 us. c1 ..66/20, 66/57, 85/1 1. from a first face of the ring segment A sewnd headed Stud- 51 1111. C1 ..D04b 9/06, D04b 15/34 extends a hm, extending inwa'dly fmm the 58 Field Of Search ..66/19 57, 78, 8,20; 85/1 L sewnd PP face of the ring Segment The first and second bores partially overlap and communicate at their inner ends. lnterfitting cam and notch configurations are provided [56] References Cl ed on the confronting, inner ends of the studs, whereby they are UNITED STATES PATENTS secured together against separation by turning one stud relative to the other. 2,748,580 6/1956 Zeruneith ..66/20 3,6l4,877 10/1971 Radin ..66/57 X 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures l W 1 1 17 T7 17 1 1 122 23 i 1 I FATENTEDJUNZO m2 INVENTOR Johann MARTINETZ M a a Afi'am/ NEEDLE TRACK LOCKING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES The invention relates to a locking device for the needle or notched bar tracks of knitting machines, in particular, circular knitting machines.

Known locks or looking devices for knitting machines consist of single lock pieces which secure the needle or notched bar tracks. The fixed pieces are mounted in a lock jacket, a lock ring or another lock holder by means of fitted screws which are placed opposite the assigned needle holders. This arrangement has the disadvantage of being too time-consuming in regard to the change of the lock pieces, and also that an adjustment of two neighboring lock pieces, which together define a needle line, has to be performed on the lock jacket of the device when the lock piece is to be changed.

There are also known locks which are equipped with variable control lock pieces, which are so called switches. However, they have the disadvantage that the lock track of the latch needle points is enlarged around the switch depending upon its range of adjustment, and that the latch needle point cannot be exactly controlled. When the switch is set back, the needles may get into an undesired position by the pulling off of the material, or by the centrifugal force to which they are subjected.

This invention has for its object the overcoming of the above-mentioned disadvantages, and the creation of a lock for knitting machines which permit its guiding tracks to be prefixed and its lock pieces to be quickly exchanged in groups or as a unit. Another object, regarding the latch needles, is to combine the advantages of a complete needle track, securely guiding the latch needles by means of fixed lock-pieces, with the advantages of shifted lock pieces with their universal position possibilities.

The invention solves the problem, because the lock pieces together with the guiding tracks, are built on lock members which can be exchanged and are mounted in the lock ranges of the device by means of quick positioned members. As quick positioned members there are employed clamping members which have a locking configuration and can be slid into a space vacated by the lock members which is to hold the lock parts.

In the embodiment, pivot pins with an ascending spiral locking configuration are used as clamping means which slide partially into a side space of a shaft of the lock member and are placed in the lock-holding parts of the device opposite to the needle holders. Each lock system of the device can have more than one replaceable lock member with accordingly several fixed or adjustable lock pieces securing the guiding tracks.

Other characters and advantages of the invention result from the following description in connection with the drawings showing more or less schematically an example of the invention.

In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view in elevation of the frame of a circular knitting machine;

FIG. 2 is a view in radial section through the lock ring for the rib disc of a circular knitting machine having installed locks in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragment of the sectional view of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of three lock systems of the rib disc of the circular knitting machine of FIGS. 1-3, inclusive.

FIG. 1 shows a circular knitting machine having a frame 10, a fixed cam cylinder 11, and a fixed rib disc which is composed of single ring segments 12. The reversible needle holders of the machine cannot be seen in such figure of the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary radial section through the ring segment 12 in the part of the device designated II in FIG. 1. The bottom side 121 of the rib lock ring segment 12 has, according to the invention, lock members 13 projecting therefrom which can be exchanged and which embody guiding tracks 14 for the latch needles 25 in a rib disc, not shown. The disc-shaped lock members 13 each have on its back side a clamping shafi 15 which can be inserted into a bore in lock ring 12. FIG. 2 shows one of the lock members 13 removed from the ring segment 12.

Lock rings 13 in ring segment 12 are mounted by means of clamping studs 17 which at their lower or inner (FIG. 2) ends have a curved locking formation formed by a helical ramp extending about about the stud. The clamping studs 17 are placed in bores 19 from the upper side 122 of segment 12 which is located opposite to the controlled needles, the clamping studs being turned by their headed ends 171. The studs 17 are easily replaceable from the upper side 122 of the segment 12. The bores 16 and 19 partially overlap, in the embodiment shown such overlap being for about the radius of each bore. The clamping studs 17 mounted in bores 19 can be twisted by their heads, so that their helical ramps 18 catch the shoulders of lock pieces 13, 15 placed in bores 16, the formation 18 engaging in a notch 20 on the upper or inner end of stud 15. Thus, by simply twisting a clamping stud 17 the lock piece is clamped to the bottom side 121 of the ring segment 12 after the ramp 18 has been twisted into the notch or space 20. Studs 17 are easily loosened by reversing the above procedure.

FIG. 4 shows three lock systems A, B, C, all of them being arranged as ring segments. Each of the three lock segments is equipped with two exchangeable lock members 13, one of which in each of systems A and B is shaded in order to better show its shape. Each of these two lock members, which are to control short and long needles, has a needle track 14. In the embodiment shown, the latter is directly mounted into the plate-like lock member 13. Besides the reversible lock members 13, all of the lock systems A, B, C have trigger lock parts 21 which, as already explained, can be exchanged. According to the knitting curve 22, as shown in FIG. 4, the needles are conducted by system A, they are kept in their knitting circuit by part B, and are brought into a catching position by lock member C.

As clearly evident from FIGS. 2 and 3, the lock pieces 13 cannot only be quickly secured by the clamp studs 17, but the lock ring segments 12, containing a lock system, can also be fixed to central holding ring 23 by means of similar clamping studs 17'. The holding ring 23 has appropriate spaces 24 into which the helical ramp 18' of the clamping studs 17' can fit. In order to loosen the lock ring segments 12, one has only to turn the clamping studs 17' approximately 180 into the releasing position, as shown in FIG. 3.

By means of the quick-clamping members of the invention, a quick change can be performed either of whole lock systems or of single lock members. Because the lock systems and lock members are fixed by quick-clamping members, the machine locks may be made much more economically. The lock members permit, in some instances, a pre-installation of the needle or notched bar tracks, and thereby also a higher precision in the positioning of the tracks and as a consequence a higher precision in the control of these tracks. The tracks do not have to be directly mounted into the lock member as in the embodiment shown; they can also be limited by single lock parts, set on the lock members, which serve as holding members. It is also possible to furnish the lock members with single reversible lock parts.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to a plurality of preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such a plurality of preferred embodiments, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a ring segment to which guiding tracks are removably affixed, the improved locking device for holding the tracks on the segment which comprises a first stud secured to the track and extending into a first bore in the segment from a first track side of the segment, a second stud extending into a second bore from the second, opposite side of the segment, the two bores being parallel and 3 ,670,526 3 4 at least partially overlapping, the two bores communicating at 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first stud is their inner ends, and selectively interengaging formations on the one which is cross slotted, and the second stud is the one the confronting inner ends of the studs whereby the studs may carrying the radially projecting helical ramp.

be quickly secured together against separation and released Apparatus accoldinl to claim when! the "nd 'tlld from each other. 5 is headed at its outer end, said head engaging the second side 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said forma- 0f the 8 m and p l tnwatd tray of the tion on one of the studs is a cross slot, and the said formation second studon the other stud is a radially projecting helical ramp engagea- Appmatus f q claim ,whel'ein the flble within said cross slot, one of said studs being rotatable mm plurality of s s tracks thereon, e pew "have to the other and means retaining the second Stud 10 tracks being held on the segment by identical locking devices.

from travel axially toward the first stud. 

1. In a circular knitting machine having a ring segment to which guiding tracks are removably affixed, the improved locking device for holding the tracks on the segment which comprises a first stud secured to the track and extending into a first bore in the segment from a first track side of the segment, a second stud extending into a second bore from the second, opposite side of the segment, the two bores being parallel and at least partially overlapping, the two bores communicating at their inner ends, and selectively interengaging formations on the confronting inner ends of the studs whereby the studs may be quickly secured together against separation and released from each other.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said formation on one of the studs is a cross slot, and the said formation on the other stud is a radially projecting helical ramp engageable within said cross slot, one of said studs being rotatable relative to the other, and means retaining the second stud from travel axially toward the first stud.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first stud is the one which is cross slotted, and the second stud is the one carrying the radially projecting helical ramp.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second stud is headed at its outer end, said head engaging the second side of the ring segment and preventing inward axial travel of the second stud.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ring segment has a plurality of guiding tracks thereon, the respective tracks being held on the segment by identical locking devices. 